Tips For Skiing The Chamonix Vallee Blanche

When to go

Most skiers choose to ski the Vallee Blanche, also affectionately called VB, on a Friday, as a crowning experience at the end of a week's skiing. I believe the locals call it an activity fin de semaine.

So, don't choose to experience the Vallee Blanche then.

Go mid-week.

In fact, if you are the sort to plan ahead, choose to go on a day with fine weather. This is especially important as you'll discover as you read further down this page.

Just like any groomed ski slope with various named routes, so too does the off-piste Vallee Blanche. There are four major routes ranging from what is generally considered appropriate, in good conditions, for high intermediate skiers, to steep and challenging.

Your ski-guide, which of course, you must have with you, will gauge your level of ski ability and take you down the most appropriate route.

As conditions change, the guide will know which snow bridges will be stable.

So, don't worry if you're not an expert skier. The opportunity to have this incredibly unique skiing adventure cannot be passed up, when you are right here in Chamonix.

The specific dangers

OK, let's get down to the scary bits.

...which is why you must have a guide.

When the sign says "Danger, You Are Going Off-Piste". It really means that.

Getting to the Landing Platform

To get to ski the Vallee Blanche, you start from the top of the Aiguille du Midi cable car terminal. That's at over 3800m. There is a steep climb down hill - a very long way, to get to the arrette or landing platform.

See the line of people coming down the slope? They are heading down from the top of the cable car terminal, carrying their skis and poles, down this incredibly steep slope.

At the end, skiers rest a bit before putting on their equipment to ski down the mountain towards the glacier.

This path is a ridge with 40 degree slopes on either side. It is very steep and deaths occur each year when people fall off the ridge. No, there are no nicely cut steps, but there is a rope to hold onto.

Please, hire crampons and WEAR THEM. This will make the walk down so much easier than the danger of slipping and sliding.

The Crevasses

Once you get past this danger, you'll find skiing the glacier is not a smooth, easy skiing experience. There are crevasses and seracs or ice towers to avoid.

On the other pages, I explain the crevasses are formed when the enormously thick river of ice flows over undulating terrain. It cracks.

You ski around the cracks and over snow bridges which are snow platforms that form over the crevasse. It is your guide who will know the route and which snow platforms are stable and which aren't.

Ok... now you see why it's best to pick a day of good weather to ski Chamonix Vallee Blanche?

Seracs

Seracs are ice towers.

For heavens sake, don't choose to have a picnic under or close to them. They can become unstable and collapse.

Your guide will point them out and will take you around them. You'll see forests of these seracs. Truly an amazing sight.

Go With A Guide

Yes, you will have heard the bravado and skiers do take off down the Chamonix Vallee Blanche on their own, in no more than jeans, a light jumper and their Bolle's.

But you don't hear about the ones who don't come back.

Remember, this is off-piste with all the attendant dangers.

There is NO civilization out here. The only man-made construction out here is the rope down from the Aiguille du Midi and the basic refuge half way down the glacier. There's a telephone at the shelter and a helicopter pad, then just mogul fields and the glacier all the way to Montenvers at the end.

Mobile phone reception? Please...

Once you start, you're committed.

If you need to be rescued, it will cost.

Most of you reading this will be tourists to Chamonix. Look, we spend heaps going on ski vacations all over the world and so do you. Pay for a guide - it is cheap insurance and he'll also be excellent in telling you about the glacier and the region.

...and be sure to tip generously.

(No, we have no relationship with any guides nor any business in Chamonix but we know how to value terrific service)

Tips From Ski Chamonix

Go mid morning about 9.30 to 10 am.

Buy lunch to take with you. There is a good bakery on the Av de Aiguille du Midi on the way to the Cable car terminal. The refuge is really basic.

Take water and don't forget your sun screen

Enjoy the day. The scenery is totally amazing.

The journey will take about 4 hours. For heavens sake, don't start past noon.

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